Category: Battery Electric Car

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Panasonic Agree to Supply Tesla with 2 Billion Battery Cells

Panasonic Corporation and Tesla Motors today announced that the two companies have reached an agreement in which Panasonic will expand its supply of automotive-grade lithium-ion battery cells to Tesla. With this agreement, the two companies update and expand their 2011 arrangement to now supply nearly 2 billion cells over the course of four years. The lithium-ion battery cells purchased from Panasonic will be used to power the award winning Model S as well as Model X, a performance utility vehicle that is scheduled to go into production by the end of 2014.

This agreement builds upon a multi-year collaboration between Panasonic and Tesla to develop next-generation automotive-grade battery cells and accelerate the market expansion of electric vehicles. Panasonic’s cells combined with Tesla’s proven EV battery expertise have already enabled more than 130 million customer miles driven in Tesla Roadsters and Model S.

“This expanded agreement with Panasonic is important to Tesla as we continue to increase the pace of production,” said Tesla Co-Founder and CEO Elon Musk. “We look forward to strengthening our relationship with Panasonic, and I’m confident that this partnership will continue to be an integral part of Tesla’s success for years to come.”

Together, Panasonic and Tesla have developed a next-generation battery cell technology that provides the highest energy density and best performance cells in the market. Panasonic’s cylindrical cell is a customized technology designed specifically for optimizing electric vehicle quality and life. These cells are integrated by Tesla into the battery pack in a way that enables an industry-leading range of approximately 265 miles for the Model S.

“We are extremely proud to be a strategic partner of Tesla,” said Yoshihiko Yamada, president of the Automotive & Industrial Systems Company, an internal company of Panasonic. “Panasonic will increase its production capacity of lithium-ion battery cells to supply Tesla’s growing needs as it expands its production of EVs.”

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BMW Joins VW in Backing Germany’s 1 Million Electric-Car Goa

BMW backed the German government’s goal to have 1 million electric cars by 2020 on the country’s roads, a week after Volkswagen said the target is achievable under broader terms for alternative drives.

Developing the European Union’s electric-vehicle market will need the backing of authorities, though official support in the bloc is lagging behind initiatives in the U.S. and China, BMW Chief Executive Officer Norbert Reithofer said today in a speech at an industry conference in Munich.

“I hope the ongoing discussions between national governments, the European Parliament and the European Commission lead to a package that’s viable,” Reithofer said at the conference sponsored by Handelsblatt newspaper. “At the moment, the commission’s proposals don’t offer incentives to speed up introduction of alternative drives.”

Carmakers are promoting electric-powered models to comply with tightening regulations that apply to their fleets’ emissions across the globe. Munich-based BMW, the world’s biggest maker of luxury vehicles, is putting the 34,950-euro ($48,200) all-electric i3 city car into showrooms in Germany next month.

VW CEO Martin Winterkorn said last week that the Wolfsburg, Germany-based manufacturer, Europe’s largest volume carmaker, will “contribute” to the German goal for electric vehicles to play a larger role in the market by 2020. Authorities’ plans are feasible as long as they include plug-in hybrids, which can switch between rechargeable battery power and conventional combustion engines, as the models offer the biggest market potential, he said.

Volkswagen outlined plans in September to offer as many as 40 electric or hybrid models in the event that demand for low-emission cars takes off. The manufacturer will produce 14 vehicles with alternative drive through next year after introducing electric versions of the Golf hatchback and Up! city car at the Frankfurt auto show last month. VW also showed new plug-in hybrid versions of the Porsche brand’s Panamera four-door coupe and Audi’s A3 compact.

Purely or partly battery-powered vehicles accounted for 4,157 new car registrations in Germany in 2012, about twice as many as the year before, according to the VDA auto-industry association. Germany’s new car market amounts to about 3 million vehicles a year.

Volkswagen’s e-Up! went on sale in Germany this month for 26,900 euros. The model is “deliberately positioned” against BMW’s i3, Rudolf Krebs, head of electric-powertrain technology at VW, said on Sept. 4.

BMW presented the i3 at the Frankfurt show, as well as a plug-in hybrid version of the X5 sport-utility vehicle. Reithofer reiterated today that the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car will be added to BMW’s lineup in 2014.

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Battery-powered driverless cars to be launched on UK streets by 2015

Driverless cars will be trialled in Milton Keynes city centre from 2015, as part of a five year pilot scheme.

100 pod devices will run on specifically marked out lanes between Milton Keynes Central train station, the centre:mk shopping centre and the offices in-between.

They will be powered by an electric motor, and will travel along pavements at speeds of up to 12mph. Initially, they will be on separate lanes but the government may remove these lanes as the experiment progresses.

The pods will be big enough to fit two passengers and luggage. They will also be fitted with sensors to avoid colliding with pedestrians and parked cars.

A trial of the devices will begin in 2015, with a full rollout expected two years later. This will allow customers to hire pods from £2 a ride using smartphone apps to either hail or advance book one of the machines.

The experiment is expected to cost £65million over the five year period, and has the backing of Business Secretary Vince Cable and Higher Education minister David Willets.

Milton Keynes was chosen for the experiment because of its wide pavements. The trials will be the first driverless cars in operation on Britain’s streets.

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Tesla eyes 10,000 annual sales of Model S in Germany

Tesla Motors is aiming to sell around 10,000 cars a year in Germany by 2015 as it builds out its networks of charging stations, its chief executive told a German paper.

"I have confidence in the German consumer," Tesla Chief executive Elon Musk was quoted as saying in an interview with Welt am Sonntag.

"Our fast charging stations should cover around half of Germany by the end of March 2014 and the entire country by the end of 2014," he said, adding he expected there to be 25 Tesla dealerships in Germany by the end of next year.

Tesla's high performance, all-electric Model S went on sale in Europe in August, and even overtook Volkswagen's Golf as the bestselling car in Norway in September.

Even vehicle sales of 10,000 would be only a small fraction of the German car market. Main industry association VDA expects sales to reach between 2.9-3.0 million cars this year from 3.08 million in 2012, and keep hovering at around 3 million vehicles in coming years.

Germany was the biggest market outside the U.S. for Tesla Roadster sales. The Model S costs from 71,400 euros ($98,500) in Germany, according to the group's website.

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Alain Prost teams up with Dams for Formula E entry

Four-times Formula One world champion Alain Prost will be involved with a team competing in the new electric Formula E series due to start next year, organisers announced on Thursday.

They said in a statement that the Frenchman, who made a failed attempt to run his own team in Formula One from 1997 to 2001, had linked up with compatriot Jean-Paul Driot to enter a new e.Dams team.

Five teams have now been signed up from a planned field of 10 to race in city centres around the world starting in Beijing in September.

"Being able to actively participate in the development of this new technology, which is 100 percent electric, is extremely motivating," said Prost.

"As we've seen in other championships, 2014 will see a move towards more sustainable racing, proving more than ever that motorsport is the benchmark for the future."

Driot's Le Mans-based DAMS teams have won petrol-engined championships in various junior series, including GP2, A1 GP, Formula Renault 3.5 and International Formula 3000.

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Tesla hires Segway / Apple VP to lead vehicle development

Tesla Motors hired a former Apple executive to lead development of the electric carmaker's new vehicles.

At Apple, Doug Field oversaw the development of products including the latest MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and iMac, Tesla said in a press release announcing the hiring on Thursday.

Field, who began his career as a Ford Motor Co (F.N) engineer, was previously chief technology officer at Segway, the maker of the self-balancing, battery-operated Segway scooter. His title at Tesla will be vice president of vehicle programs.

The Model S, Tesla's first attempt to reach a mainstream audience for electric cars, has enjoyed stronger than expected sales, helping Tesla shares more than quintuple this year.

But for Tesla to reach an even broader market and silence electric car naysayers, Chief Executive Elon Musk must successfully develop a third-generation electric car by 2017 that will cost between $30,000 and $35,000.

"Tesla's future depends on engineers who can create the most innovative, technologically advanced vehicles in the world," Musk said in a statement. "Doug's experience in both consumer electronics and traditional automotive makes him an important addition to our leadership team."

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Volvo Developing Wireless Charging for Electric Vehicles

The Swedish car manufacturer has announced the development of an energy transfer technology that uses electromagnetic fields. Long term, Volvo sees the technology leading to cordless charging solutions for its hybrid and all-electric vehicles.

In an official press release, Volvo's Vice President for Electric Propulsion Systems, Lennart Stegland, announced that “inductive charging has great potential” and is “a comfortable and effective way to conveniently transfer energy.” Volvo's tests also indicated that the method is safe, although there are currently no common standards for charging vehicles using induction, a fact that makes it difficult to bring it to mainstream consumers in the near future. Nonetheless, Volvo will continue researching the concept and will soon evaluate the feasibility of integrating it into future hybrid and all-electric cars.

Inductive charging uses electromagnetic fields to transfer energy from one source to another. One induction coil, located in the power source, creates an alternating electromagnetic field, while a second coil draws the energy from the first to recharge the vehicle's battery. Charging begins automatically as soon as the vehicle is positioned over the charging apparatus, without requiring the use of cables or plugs. Volvo claims that the technology is already used today in a number of home appliances, such as electric toothbrushes.

The research project was carried out in partnership with Flanders' Drive, an automotive industry think tank in Belgium. The study showed that it is possible to recharge the Volvo C30 Electric without the use of cables in 2 hours and 30 minutes.

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WiTricity Secures Additional $25 Million in Funding

WiTricity announced today it has secured $25 million in Series E financing from new and existing investors, including Intel Capital and Hon Hai/Foxconn, one of the world’s largest consumer electronics manufacturers. The funding will support the company’s growth strategy as it further develops designs and products for wireless charging in the consumer electronics, electric vehicles, defense and medical device industries, as well as allowing WiTricity to pursue other strategic growth opportunities in the wireless power field.

“WiTricity’s vision is to usher in a world where wireless power is so ubiquitous, you never have to think about plugging in again,” said WiTricity CEO Eric Giler. “In securing this funding from our investors we are even more effectively positioned to fulfill that vision and deliver game-changing wireless technology to partners and customers around the globe.”

The announcement marks the next phase in WiTricity’s continued growth as a leader in the wireless power space. According to analyst firm IMS Research, the global market for wireless power will grow 86.5 percent annually to be worth $4.5 billion in 20161. As the inventor of Highly Resonant Wireless Power Transfer, WiTricity is poised to capture that market through existing and new partnerships with major manufacturers including Audi, Mitsubishi, Delphi, Haier, IHI, MediaTek and Thoratec.

With this infusion of $25 million, WiTricity’s investment funding now totals $45 million. In addition, the company recently secured its 50th patent, positioning it even more strongly for growth and success in the global market.

WiTricity have previously announced wireless electric vehicle charging partnerships with Audi, Toyota, Delphi, Mitsubishi and IHI.

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VW Says Germany’s 1 Million Electric-Car Goal Achievable

Volkswagen says the German government’s goal to have 1 million electric cars on the country’s roads by 2020 can be achieved if partly battery-powered cars like hybrids are taken into account.

“We will make our contribution toward this goal,” Volkswagen Chief Executive Officer Martin Winterkorn said today at a panel discussion at a ceremony near chemical producer BASF SE’s headquarters in Ludwigshafen, Germany.

Plug-in hybrids “offer the biggest market potential,” and should help with a roll out of electric mobility on a larger scale, Winterkorn said.

The CEO reiterated Wolfsburg, Germany-based Volkswagen’s plan to offer as many as 40 electric or hybrid models in the event that demand for low-emission cars takes off. The manufacturer will produce 14 vehicles with alternative drive through next year after introducing electric versions of the Golf hatchback and Up! city car at the Frankfurt auto show last month. Volkswagen also showed new plug-in hybrid versions of the Porsche brand’s Panamera four-door coupe and Audi’s A3 compact.

VW’s move echoes initiatives by peers such as Nissan and General Motors to promote purely electric and hybrid cars, which help automakers comply with tightening fleetwide emission regulations across the globe.

VW’s e-Up! went on sale in Germany this month for 26,900 euros ($37,000). The model is “deliberately positioned” against the battery-powered i3 city car that Munich-based BMW is bringing out, Rudolf Krebs, head of electric-powertrain technology at VW, said on Sept. 4.

BMW, the world’s biggest luxury-vehicle manufacturer, presented the i3 in Frankfurt last month, as well as a plug-in hybrid version of the X5 sport-utility vehicle. The i3, priced at 34,950 euros, will enter showrooms in Germany in November.

Plug-in hybrids have the most potential and BMW plans to eventually offer one in every model line, Herbert Diess, the automaker’s development chief, said in an interview last month. Cars with electromobility will make up 5 percent to 10 percent of the market by 2020 from well under 1 percent now, Diess said.

Other alternative-drive vehicles shown at the Frankfurt auto show included an all-electric Mercedes-Benz B-Class crossover from Daimler that will use a drivetrain supplied by Palo Alto, California-based Tesla Motors, and a hybrid coupe prototype from Volvo Car Group.

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New 1/4 Mile EV Record at 9.12 Seconds @ 145 mph [VIDEO]

NEDRA President John Metric took his Miata, Assault and Battery to an all-time 1/4 mile record for an Electric door slammer at Royal Purple Raceway with a best time of 9.12 at 145 mph!

The EV record has been held by Black Current III since 2010 with a 9.51 sec @135 mph pass of Santa Pod.

The tube frame and tubbed 2002 Mazda Miata runs a 340 volt LiPo pack with 2x 2000 amp Zilla 2K-EHV controllers feeding dual brushed DC NetGain 9-inch motors, a Lenco 2 speed and double GV overdrive. For the record run the controllers were set to 170 volt & 1100 amps per motor.

  • 60ft 1.312
  • 330' 3.729
  • 660' 5.793 118.29mph
  • 1320' 9.161 144.23mph
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    BMW say i5 ‘already in the works’

    BMW could build a large battery powered sedan to compete head on with Tesla's Model S.

    Following the critical success being enjoyed by the Tesla Model S many within BMW's i project are already convinced that there is potential for a model larger than the i3.

    The company is still deciding whether the new car – likely to be called i5 – would be a crossover or a conventional sedan.

    'We are having these discussions right now,' said the senior BMW source, 'and no decision has been taken. In fact, there's still not an absolute decision that the car, if it is called i5, should even happen. Many, including myself, believe that there is potential. Then if we decide the car should happen, we need to decide if it is a regular sedan or something where the passengers are sitting slightly higher up.

    'Then after that we need to decide whether a car of this size can be a fully electric edition, like the i3, or whether it needs to be a range-extender – or perhaps even a plug-in hybrid. That could ultimately be the best solution for that model; we don't know yet.'

    BMW have already underestimated demand for their first fully electric i3 and have announced they are planning to have a plug-in hybrid in each and every model series. BMW have also already road tested an all electric X1 crossover, initially bound for Chinese production in a joint venture with Chinese partner Brilliance Auto, so perhaps an all electric 5 series or X5 is a logical next step.

    Source: WHATCAR?

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    Nissan Dualis Crossover EV ‘likely’ for UK Production

    Nissan bosses have refused to rule out the introduction of an electric version of the next-generation Nissan Dualis (Qashqai in EU)

    According to Autocar Guillaume Cartier, Nissan's head of European sales and marketing says the Japanese automaker won't consider an electric-drive version of the model "for now," implying that there may be one in the future for Europe. He added that economies of scale are driving battery-electric powertrain production costs down, so Nissan is likely to expand the battery-electric option well beyond models such as the Leaf.

    The Qashqai has been built at Nissan's UK plant in Sunderland since December 2006. Nissan started production of the LEAF at Sunderland in March of this year.

    Cartier also said that Nissan's EV lineup will continue to grow, but EV technology will not be retro-fitted into existing models. New models will be designed with electric propulsion in mind from the outset.

    Source: Autocar

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    Bloomberg says BMW, Audi to Blitz Tesla With High-End Competition [VIDEO]

    Bloomberg reporter Matt Miller tries to make a case that BMW and Audi are going to squeeze out Tesla at the top-end of the market, but the analysis is fairly poor.

    Miller's argument starts by comparing BMW's two seater plug-in hybrid i8 sports car to Tesla's seven seater 100% battery electric Model S 4 door sedan? These cars aren't even in the same market segment!

    We're not even sure how Audi enters the competitive analysis as Audi admitted defeat and canned the R8 e-tron saying they couldn't figure out how to make a high performance battery only car economically viable and they have not announced any plans for a high performance battery only sedan to go up against the Model S.

    This is the kind of trash reporting that listed companies must endure, commentators constantly trying to talk the stock price up or down. At least it's good to see a 'real' analyst like Dougherty & Co.'s Andrea James who actually knows what's she's talking about get some air time.

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    Pikes Peak EV Record Holder Demos 900 HP AWD [VIDEO]

    The recent Electric Vehicle Racing in Motor Sports Japan Festival saw some interesting EV race car demonstrations, some of which have made their way onto Youtube.

    While the environmental benefits of converting tire rubber into smoke are debatable, what is of particular interest is the demonstration of the horsepower available in Monster Tajima's EV class winning Pikes Peak Special.

    GKN EVO axial flux motors power all the leading Japanese Pikes Peak EV entries and we believe Tajima's Monster Sport E-RUNNER runs 2x AFM-240 Axial Flux motors, each capable of 335 kw (455 hp) and 1200 Nm Peak.

    While we don't know what differential gearing the car runs front and back so are unable to calculate torque at the wheels, anyway you look at it, that's just over 900 horsepower shredding tires in this car park demo, which equals the 900 hp 900 kg Peugeot 208 T16 Pikes Peak Special used by nine time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb to win overall.

    When asked about beating the new gasoline record, the 63 year old Tajima responded: “We are able to do that very soon, it depends on the battery. With a high quality and high density battery, I can beat that record for sure.”

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    Will Diesel dominance in EU be replaced by EVs?

    Europe's car fleets have been persistently transformed from being petrol-driven to diesel-driven over the last 20 years. The EU average for diesel new car sales is 55%, with Spain and France as high as 70%.

    According to leading automotive engineers the dominance of diesel engines in Europe’s new car market could be over before the end of the decade. A combination of increasingly stringent emissions regulations and the high cost of new-generation anti-pollution technology will make diesel engines much more expensive along with the high possibility of significant rises in the price of diesel fuel making them more expensive to run.

    Joe Bakaj, head of product development for Ford of Europe said “It is much cheaper to get petrol engines through EU6.2; with diesel engines we need technology such as selective catalyst reduction systems, and costs increase again with heavier vehicles.”

    Will EVs fill the void? With the average cost of fuel across the EU approx € 1.50 / liter (US $8 /US Gallon), those prices have driven european motorists to sacrifice the performance of a petrol engine for sluggishness and jack-hammer sound track of a diesel engine in search of 10-20% fuel efficiency improvements.

    Based on those motives, if a 10-20% fuel saving can generate 50-70% market share of new car sales, then the 95% energy cost saving of running a plug-in electric car has the potential to take over significantly more than 70% market share.

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    Nissan Race 48 kWh LEAF at ECOseries motorsport event

    Nissan employees working at the company's Barcelona Technical Centre are proving there's more to motorsport than striving for the fastest lap times by taking part in a new concept in motorsport: ECOseries, which rewards efficiency and fuel economy rather than outright speed.

    The employees - who are all taking part in the series in their spare time - are using three Nissan Leaf in the zero-emission category.

    ECOseries, which is based in Spain and combines track and road-rally events over the season, attracts entries from a wide variety of road cars. Aside from the Nissan team, there are cars from rival manufacturers including Peugeot, Toyota, Volkswagen, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz.

    In the EV category, the Nissan LEAFs and a Mercedes A-Class E-Cell have been fighting for outright honours. Although two of the team's three LEAFs are essentially standard, a third was introduced as a mobile test lab, running in the series' EV prototype category. For the final race, its battery pack was doubled in size to take battery performance to 48 kWh and allowing it to perform on more equal terms with the 36 kWh Mercedes.

    In the end, although the LEAF was quicker than the A-Class and ran at the same pace as the Nissan Juke with no potential range issues to affect the car's progress, the Mercedes took outright honours by lapping closer to its regularity target.

    A 48 kWh Leaf could have up to 250 miles (400 km) estimated range, although the extra weigh would reduce that slightly.

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    Kia Soul EV on sale in UK by end of 2014

    The electric Kia Soul is due to go on sale in the UK in October 2014, with prices set to rival those of other electric vehicles.

    Yaser Shabsogh, Kia’s UK Commercial Director, has confirmed that the electric Soul will be offered in the UK, but not until the end of 2014, some months after the arrival of the new Soul in early 2014.

    He said the projected prices were based on the assumption that the car would be sold with a battery, rather than via a leasing scheme. Kia is yet to decide whether to lease or sell the battery.

    The car, which Shabsogh says will have a "low-to-mid £20,000" price tag, will also be eligible for the government's £5000 electric car grant, assuming the scheme is still operational as the car goes on sale.

    Kia UK will use it to demonstrate Kia has cutting-edge EV technology available.

    Shabsogh told Headline Auto:

    It is not going to be priced to try to stimulate demand.

    We won’t be selling hundreds of them – maybe a couple of hundred, mostly in the key metropolitan areas.

    The bigger question for the manufacturer is the support network that an electric car would require, with Shabsogh saying: 'We would definitely have some specialist dealers that can charge and service it.'

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    Renault Leads Electric Vehicle Market in Europe with 34,000 sales

    Renault leads the electric vehicle market in Europe where it has sold over 34,000 electric vehicles since its first model, Kangoo Van Z.E., went on sale in late 2011. In this developing European electric vehicle market, Renault has a market share of 47% so far this year.

    Renault ZOE, spearheads its Z.E. range of 100 per cent electric vehicles and is the world’s first affordable, purpose-built, all-electric supermini – perfect for households whether they’re commuting, doing supermarket and school runs, or even doing moderate distances.

    ZOE’s official NEDC range is 130 miles (208 km), the longest of any affordable EV on sale today, with a real-world range of around 90 miles in temperate conditions or 60 in the harshest conditions. It is priced from just £13,995 on-the-road after grant, plus battery hire from £70 per month.

    In addition to the Kangoo Van Z.E., Renault also offers Fluence Z.E. saloon; the two-seat commuter vehicle Twizy; and the ZOE supermini, launched earlier this year.

    Twizy is Renault’s best-selling model with over 11,400 units sold since it went on sale in early 2012, closely followed by 11,000 Kangoo Z.E.

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    Tesla Model S Sold Out Till Next Year [VIDEO]

    Tesla’s backlog of orders for the Model S continue well into March of next year despite a 25% increase in production rates over the second quarter. It is always great to be wanted, but how long will Tesla Model S demand outpace production?

    Elon Musk told ABC News that the Tesla Model S “I am not worried about demand for the Model S as we are currently sold out through March of next year, so we don’t have a demand generation problem”.

    Contributing to the strong demand for the Model S is that earlier this year Tesla introduced a new lease program and started deliveries of the Model S in Europe. In Norway Tesla is already breaking sales records and as of September is currently the best selling car there. Tesla EVs accounted for about one in 20 of all new cars sold easily outselling hybrids.

    Also of note in addition to Norway, Switzerland and Netherlands are also very EV friendly. Those countries in particular are not only very green but also offer additional EV incentives: free EV parking, HOV or bus lane access to EVs and reduced VAT and/or no road tax for EVs. In addition to Europe Tesla plans to open it’s first Tesla Store in China by the end of the year.

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    Renault Samsung begins production of electric vehicles

    Renault Samsung Motors, the local unit of French automaker Renault SA, has begun producing its electric sedans on Monday, its chief executive said.

    The annual production capacity for its SM3 electric vehicle (EV) will reach up to 4,000 units starting next year at its assembly plant in Busan, said Francois Provost, the CEO of Samsung Renault Motors, at a ceremony in the southeastern port city.

    "We are on track with our strategy and plan to become the firm leading" the EV market in Korea, Provost said, noting that his company has supplied 307 units of its sub-midsized EV to the country's southern resort island of Jeju and separately secured contracts for 500 units.

    The SM3 EV can travel 135 kilometers on a single charge, according to the carmaker.

    Though the price for an SM3 EV is set at 45 million won (US$42,000), with government subsidies for electric car buyers, the price tag comes down to 22 million won, the company said.

    As part of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the environment ministry and provincial authorities in Jeju have begun providing subsidies worth 15 million won and 8 million won, respectively, to zero-emission car buyers.

    The ceremony came two months after GM Korea Co., the local unit of U.S. General Motors Co., unveiled the electric version of the compact Chevrolet Spark.

    Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's second-largest carmaker, has also rolled out its electric car called the Ray and said it plans to introduce the electric version of its Soul box car in the first half of next year.

    As of June, a total of 1,146 electric cars were used in the country, mostly by government agencies and public corporations, according to the environment ministry.

    South Korea has installed 1,165 charging stations for electric vehicles across the country including 110 quick charge stations, the ministry said.